Each state and county keeps public records on property. You can access certain records, such as property tax payments, foreclosures and deeds by requesting a report online or in a county office. Find out how to search for property records in your area.

Steps

Part 1

Gather Information

1

Identify the county where the property is located. In the United States, most property records are handled at the county level.

2

Find an address for the location of the property.

In the case of mobile homes, these are usually classified as personal property, rather than real property, so they may not have an address associated with them.

3

Find the owner name. In some cases, you can research the person to find information about the property.

Part 2

Identify the Record

1

Do an online search using the county name and "public records" as the query.

2

Click on the government sites (.gov) that appear.

3

Decide the record that you want to search for. You may need to go to several sites or locations to get a detailed property record.

You can obtain property tax records with the county's Assessments and Taxation department. This will show the property tax payments for a given property.

You can search for land records and deeds with the Clerk and Recorder's office of vital records.

You can search Foreclosures and Tax Liens in your county through the Assessments and Taxation departments and through public notices.

4

Keep a lookout for property mapping services available through your county's clerk, recorder or assessments and taxation department. Some states map out locations that have liens, foreclosures or other public records.

Part 3

Clerk and Recorder Searches

1

Go to your local Clerk and Recorder office, if you cannot find an online search option. Request a public records search on the location of your choice.

Find the state office you want for a property search. Some websites post links to property records offices in all 50 states.

2

Fill out paperwork to have a clerk complete your search.

3

Pay a search fee of $5 to $100 to receive a copy of public records.

4

Request copies or different searches for an additional fee.

Part 4

Free Property Search Websites

1

Visit Realtor.com to find records of houses in your area.

The free online report will not include the name of the property owner or the sale price of the house, but it may include the year it was built, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms it has and information about the lot size and area.

This is a good option if you are looking to buy a house in the area.

2

Go to Propertyshark.com if you are researching a property in New York, New Jersey or Los Angeles. This free public records search has detailed records in those areas, similar to the listings on Realtor.com.

Part 5

Paid Property Search Websites

1

Visit the data store at NETR Online. You can request a detailed property record search for approximately $3.50. You can also view the ownership and encumbrance report for $75.

Paid search sites use the same public property records that you can search for free through county websites and offices; however, paying the fee can save you time and return a detailed report.

2

Use docusearch.com to find free and paid property records. A cursory search is likely free, but you must pay for detailed reports.

3

Sign up for an account with accurint.com. If you plan to make a number of inquiries, this site provides them for $.25 to $8. You can search for people or property.